“The passing of Michael Sandy is tragic, and on behalf of the City of New York, I express my condolences to his family. New York is a city where diversity is celebrated and tolerance is practiced, and today we reaffirm our efforts and stand united to fight those who threaten those values.

“The commission of this crime was a grave matter and was given immediate attention at all levels of city government. The NYPD did a superb job and investigators made their first arrest within hours. Michael, who only yesterday turned 29 years old, had a bright future ahead of him. That future has been taken away by a group who apparently had a pernicious scheme to single him out because of his sexual orientation, lure him to a desolate area, and rob him. Those responsible for Michael’s death must be brought to swift justice.”